How To Get Instagram Notes For Super Short Messages With Friends

Instagram is sliding into your DMs with Notes. The new feature rolled out globally Dec. 13, and it’s the latest way to stay in touch with your inner circle through super short messages. It may remind you of the years of AIM Away Messages and Facebook statuses, but once you see your friends sharing them, you’ll want to join in on the nostalgic fun. Here’s how to get and see Instagram Notes when you want to share a short status update or pose a fun question to your crew.

While Notes are new to plenty of Instagram users, some lucky ‘Grammers have been able to test the feature since June 2022, and that led to the iteration of Notes you’ll find in your app when you update. Per Instagram’s Dec. 13 blog post, the tests showed “people liked having a lightweight, easy way to share what’s going on [in] their mind and start conversations.” Notes was the answer. It gives users another way to connect from starting casual convos to updating their friends about what they’re up to. Think of it like a new and improved Facebook status — a major throwback, really.

What Is An Instagram Note

The Instagram Note is “a new space to share thoughts, ask questions, or post a status right above your DM inbox,” per Mark Zuckerberg’s Dec. 13 Instagram post. A Note is meant to be short and sweet. There is a 60-character limit inclusive of text and emojis, according to Instagram’s blog, so you’ll have to be creative with your thoughts.

Notes are not meant to be seen by everyone, but rather a little treat for your inner circle. You can share a Note with people who follow you that you follow back or people on your Close Friends list. Cue the inside jokes only your homies would understand.

How To Get & Send Instagram Notes

Before you do anything, make sure your Instagram app is updated to the latest version, and then you’ll be on your way to churning out all the IG Notes your friends can handle. Here’s what you’ll need to do get and send Instagram Notes.

• Open your DM inbox and you’ll see Notes appear in a row like Stories beneath the search bar.
• Click on your profile icon at the left of the screen with the prompt “Leave a note.”
• Type out your note and add an emoji or two.
• Select from two options, either “Followers you follow back” or your Close Friends list.
• Once you’re happy with your note, hit “Share” in the top right corner.

How To Respond To Instagram Notes

Your note will be posted at the top of your friends’ inboxes for 24 hours. During that time, your friends can reply to your note, and their responses will roll into your DMs where you can keep the convo going.

How To See Instagram Notes

For now, Instagram Notes are only accessible through your DM inbox. There’s also no way to save a draft of your note, so make sure your note is exactly how you want it before posting and make sure it’s shared before closing out of the app.

With the wide rollout of Notes, Instagram also announced new tests of features like Candid Stories (that sound a lot like a BeReal spin-off) and Group Profiles, but those aren’t waiting for you in the app just yet. To hold you over until even more features come, pop into you DMs and make your Instagram Note game known to all your followers.